The adult beetles are 3.5–7.0 millimetres (0.1–0.3 in) long, convex, straight sided, and the surface has indentations called punctures.

They feed on the meat-infesting larvae of Calliphora or blow flies, Dermestidae and Piophilidae.

The adults are surface feeders; the larvae bore into dry or smoked meats and do most damage.

Although refrigeration has reduced the impact of the beetle on meats, they are a significant destructive pest of dried and salt fish including herring.

This species should not be confused with its cousin, Korynetes caeruleus, another steely-blue beetle in the family Cleridae.